'It's simply apocalyptic': Western NC sees devastation, frustration and a long road ahead
Leaders in western North Carolina are pleading for help in response to Hurricane Helene. The state faces a number of challenges in its response, both short-term and long-term.
For Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers, Hurricane Helene is déjà vu.
In 2021, Tropical Storm Fred ravaged his small town and the neighboring unincorporated community of Cruso. So when he learned a hurricane could strike his neck of the woods on Friday, he took the threat seriously.
What nobody expected was the magnitude of devastation that would ensue.
“The only flood that was worse than this one in our recorded history is found in the Book of Genesis and Noah,” Smathers said. “In Haywood County and Canton, I cannot say enough how we were prepared because of lessons learned three years ago and the plans we implemented. But when you’re facing a river that crests at roughly 28 feet, there’s nothing that can be done.”
And the devastation isn’t just isolated to one town or county. It’s an entire region.
By Friday afternoon, residents in the Asheville area nearly universally lost cell service, leaving elected officials, emergency management personnel and citizens struggling for assistance.
“It’s been scary. It’s been isolating.”
-Rep. Lindsey Prather of Buncombe County
Two days later, President Joe Biden approved a federal disaster declaration request for 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. On Monday, he announced FEMA Director Deanne Criswell would remain in the Asheville area “for the foreseeable future.” Biden himself will tour the region on Wednesday.
“We're not leaving until the job is done,” Biden said.
But for western North Carolina leaders of all parties, extra help cannot come soon enough.
"We're facing a 2024 recovery with 1998 technology,” said Smathers, who has resorted to relaying physical notes back and forth to people to help get out supplies.
In Buncombe County, which includes the city of Asheville, at least 40 people have died. Rep. Lindsey Prather, a Democrat who represents the area, fears for families lacking safe drinking water, baby formula and other basic necessities. She worries kids will fall further behind in school and that calendar flexibility will be needed to make up the learning loss.
“It's been scary,” she said. “It's been isolating.”
Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder told reporters on Monday that her community was just beginning to receive water supplies from the state, despite making a request four days earlier.
“We’ve been asking for water and we’re just getting water, and it’s still in low quantities,” Pinder said. “There’s a large need in our community. And we would like to see a different response from our state partners. A better response from our state partners.”
Asked at a news conference to respond to Pinder’s comments, Gov. Roy Cooper deferred to Will Ray, the state’s director of Emergency Management. Ray attributed the delays to an inability to access certain communities via roads, which is prompting more deliveries by air.
“We’re continuing to increase the number of aircraft that are operating,” Ray said.
Adding to communities’ frustration, though, is a lack of response from the state on how individuals with their own small planes should go about dropping off supplies.
“More help is on the way and more help is continuing.”
-Gov. Roy Cooper
I made an imminent request for comment to the Governor’s Office seeking guidance on behalf of a source of mine who wanted to use a private plane to drop off about 500 pounds of supplies to the region. I was referred to a state official overseeing responses to hurricane-related media inquiries. The official said they hoped to provide a response sometime on Tuesday.
A separate state leader encouraged folks seeking to make such supply trips to contact helenevolunteers@buncombecounty.org. Separately, another group called Operation Airdrop is seeking volunteers to assist with flying or handling supplies.
During Monday’s news conference, Cooper sought to reassure a frustrated public.
“More help is on the way and more help is continuing,” Cooper said.
Rep. Jake Johnson, a Republican who represents Henderson, McDowell, Polk and Rutherford counties, said his district remains in very bad shape. He noted that local officials were still trying to account for people on Monday and that cellular connectivity was almost nonexistent in Polk County. "I don't think we are even close to recovery.”
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican seeking to succeed Cooper as governor, was in western North Carolina over the weekend and on Monday to assist with disaster relief.
“Our team has a growing number of leaders on the ground working hand in hand with law enforcement to execute search and rescue missions, as well as to deliver life-saving assets not only to Buncombe County, but to all areas that otherwise may have been overlooked,” Robinson said in a statement on Monday.
Josh Stein, the Democratic attorney general and gubernatorial candidate, said his office is investigating 64 price gouging complaints. He and his campaign also dropped off water in Statesville, which will be transported to areas impacted by the hurricane. Individuals concerned about price gouging can call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or fill out an online form here to make a complaint.
“Hundreds of thousands of western North Carolinians still do not have access to safe water and are counting on others during this difficult time,” Stein wrote on X. “If there is one thing I know, it’s that North Carolinians are good people with big hearts. We’ll keep coming together. And we’ll get through this.”
By 9 p.m. Monday, the state hadn’t provided a number of people still unaccounted for. Nearly 400,000 North Carolina utility customers remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us. And 49 people were reported dead in North Carolina— 40 in Buncombe County, 5 in Henderson County and 4 in Haywood County. Officials say the hurricane’s death toll will almost assuredly climb as search and rescue operations continue.
State elections officials reported 14 county offices had closed due to the hurricane, though Buncombe County is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday. The State Board of Elections also unanimously approved a resolution allowing impacted counties to reschedule meetings to review and act upon absentee ballots. By law, counties are required to meet every Tuesday in the weeks leading up to the election to review absentee ballots.
Over the next several weeks, state officials will work to assess hurricane damage— a process that is likely to extend well beyond the Oct. 9 date state lawmakers are scheduled to return to Raleigh for a single-day session. And without a revised adjournment resolution, lawmakers wouldn’t reconvene until Nov. 19 at the earliest.
"I've been in contact with the senators in the area and other state and local officials as they continue to assess the damage and impact of Hurricane Helene,” Senate leader Phil Berger said in a statement. “It will take time to know the full catastrophic nature of this storm, but the General Assembly stands ready to take the necessary steps to help our neighbors in Western North Carolina.”
Meanwhile, Biden said he may urge Congress to come back into session to pass a supplemental spending bill to provide support to those impacted by the hurricane.
Cooper may be able to call for a special legislative session in North Carolina as he did in 2018 to address Hurricane Florence. But it’s unclear if that’s necessary or possible since the General Assembly is technically still in session.
In 2018, state budget officials worked around the clock to give lawmakers an estimate of the financial impact of Hurricane Florence. Days later, (about a month after the natural disaster itself), lawmakers approved the comprehensive aid package.
The Office of Management and Budget again finds itself hoping to swiftly estimate the latest hurricane devastation.
The most recent data from the State Controller shows North Carolina had about $5.5 billion reserved for emergencies like Hurricane Helene, as of June. The state’s savings reserve had $4.75 billion, while the Emergency Response/Disaster Reserve had nearly $721 million.
While it will ultimately take months and years for some of the hardest-hit communities to recover, North Carolinians can currently get support by applying for immediate assistance through FEMA. Cooper’s office said more than 5,000 households had contacted FEMA by Monday afternoon to apply for assistance. The state is also encouraging individuals seeking to make monetary contributions to do so through its North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.
“This will be the biggest natural disaster in North Carolina history,” Smathers said. “It's simply apocalyptic.”
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